goldfish & algae eaters

Question
Can you tell me what kind of algae eater I can have in my aquarium in the house.  I have a 70 gal aquarium with 12 goldfish.  I will be bringing them in from my pond for the winter and the water temperature in the aquarium will be between 60 - 65 degrees.  I need to know what to feed the goldfish at these temps and how to control algae in the aquarium.

Answer
Hi Anita,
Probably the best candidate for your tank is a Plecostomus. They are both hardy and usually don't bother other fish. If you don't want a giant pleco then definitely get the Bristlenose pleco which are very great fish that don't grow larger than 4-5 inches.

The keys to feeding goldfish and the temperature factor is to keep in mind when the temperature dips below 50F to stop feeding then. Their metabolism slows down and they won't be able to digest it very well.

The best way to control algae in your aquarium and/or pond is to control these two key factors that influence the algae's growth the most - Nutrients and light. An excess of either or both will cause an algae bloom.

Control nutrients (mainly nitrates) with more frequent water changes and cut back on the light by keeping the tank light on a strict schedule of no more than 10-12 hours per day  or just keeping it off during the daytime if the room is well-lit. Also, incorporating lots of aquatic plants (such as hardy pond plants) in your tank will both help shade the tank and compete with the algae for nutrients. With a sufficient amount of plants they can out compete algae completely.

Best of luck!
Karen~